United religions pray for Burma
By: Sai Awn Tai21/10/07
People of all faiths and spiritualities from different communities and organizations in Sydney pray for peace and justice for the people of Burma. The National Council of Churches in Australia, in collaboration with Caritas Australia organizes a National Day of Prayer of Burma this afternoon at Martin Place, Sydney. One of prayer rally organizers from Caritas, Tim O’Connor said, “We show our solidarity to the many suffering people of Burma and particularly to the many courageous Buddhist monks and nuns.”
An estimated 1,000 participants at prayer rally wear red T-shirts, showing their solidarity with monks in Burma, holding various placards of Aung San Suu Kyi and demanding the Australian and international communities to support the people of Burma.They also urge the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and the opposition leader Kevin Rudd to use their capacity to support the people of Burma and pressure the military junta to halt their brutal habits and bring peace and democracy in Burma.Religious leaders from Buddhist, Jew, Muslim and Christian communities show their concern on the peace and democracy in Burma. “These religious leaders will make a great influence on the Australian government to take more action on the military regime”, said Dr Myint Cho, spokesperson of the Australia Burma Council and incharge of Burma office in Sydney.Dr Myint Cho says, it is a remarkable prayer rally as all different religious backgrounda show their concern to the monks and people of Burma. It is a great achievement which all people from different communities support for the peace and democracy in Burma. “These different religious leaders will bring the Burma issue to their communities” he said.Ven Chan Khun Samai, Sydney based Thai Buddhist monk, says Burma as a Thai neighbor country and has the same religion, he is very concerned about the monks in Burma when they were killed, tortured, detained and disrobed by the military regime. “May the monks in Burma free from fear of oppression and bring peace and justice to them,” he prayed. Participants gather in front of St James Anglican church, when they walk from Martin Place to Hyde Park. Bishop Ken Mason said, “we pray for those who are under the repressive rule of the Burmese military and we show our solidarity to the people of Burma. The prayer rally today is important to our country and people because Burma is not different to us, we must help them”.The Blue Mountains based Director of Liberation Prison Project (Australia) Ven. Aileen Barry, a Buddhist nun says, “I come here to show my solidarity with the monks and people in Burma. I pray for those who are oppressed, for never giving up their courage,” she said.She says, the recent crackdown in Burma made her feel very sad and it is attacking something precious to her and also it precious to all people. The military regime shows its true behavior that it is very hard hearted. “A terrible thing has happened to them even they didn’t realize it,” she said. Ven Aileen Barry travel to Sydney’s prison every week. She prays and teaches the prisoners about the meditation. “Every time I went to prison, the prisoners told me that they feel very sorry for what happened in Burma, they show concern for the people of Burma, they know everything what has happened inside Burma as they watch the news on TV,” she said.On this National Day of Prayer for the people of Burma, many Christian communities also pray in their churches. “The Burma issue is a deep concern to the Australian community,” said Revd Dr Jonathan Inkpin, the General Secretary of New South Wales Ecumenical Council. “On behalf of Christian community, we pray to the people of Burma for the freedom and justice. It is a major issue for all of us, we must help the people of Burma and pressure the military regime until demands for human rights and democracy are met in Burma,” he said.
http://www.shanland.org/politics/2007/united-religions-pray-for-burma
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Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Restrictions on worship imposed in monastery in Sittwe
Restrictions on worship imposed in monastery in Sittwe
Written by Webmaster
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Akyab (Sittwe), Burma: Burmese Army troops barged into a monastery yesterday night in Akyab (Sittwe) and threw out the monks. Restrictions were imposed on worship. The army chalked out a schedule for worship for the monastery, said a Buddhist monk from Akyab.
The second senior monk Sayadaw "U Thun Tara", (45), of the Hla Rwa Win monastery in Akyab was accused of joining the anti-government protests and playing a leading role in the demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Sittwe. But Sayadaw fled on October 1, because he had known he would be arrested. He was tipped off about the impending arrest.
On October 4, five monks from the monastery were driven out by the Military Intelligence on the allegation that they actively participated in the recent anti-junta demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Sittwe.
The monastery is being watched by riot police since October 4. Nobody is allowed to enter the monastery whenever they wish to for prayers or lighting candles except during a scheduled time, said a worshiper.
The authorities sure that Sayadaw U Thun Thara, will flee to Bangladesh through Maungdaw have alerted officials and ordered sealing of the border.Since September 26, the Burmese military regime has cracked down violently on the peaceful protests led by tens of thousands of Buddhist monks in cities throughout Burma . Thousands have been detained and untold numbers of civilians, including monks, have been killed. Monasteries continue to be raided, monks arrested.
By Kaladanpress.org
Written by Webmaster
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Akyab (Sittwe), Burma: Burmese Army troops barged into a monastery yesterday night in Akyab (Sittwe) and threw out the monks. Restrictions were imposed on worship. The army chalked out a schedule for worship for the monastery, said a Buddhist monk from Akyab.
The second senior monk Sayadaw "U Thun Tara", (45), of the Hla Rwa Win monastery in Akyab was accused of joining the anti-government protests and playing a leading role in the demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Sittwe. But Sayadaw fled on October 1, because he had known he would be arrested. He was tipped off about the impending arrest.
On October 4, five monks from the monastery were driven out by the Military Intelligence on the allegation that they actively participated in the recent anti-junta demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Sittwe.
The monastery is being watched by riot police since October 4. Nobody is allowed to enter the monastery whenever they wish to for prayers or lighting candles except during a scheduled time, said a worshiper.
The authorities sure that Sayadaw U Thun Thara, will flee to Bangladesh through Maungdaw have alerted officials and ordered sealing of the border.Since September 26, the Burmese military regime has cracked down violently on the peaceful protests led by tens of thousands of Buddhist monks in cities throughout Burma . Thousands have been detained and untold numbers of civilians, including monks, have been killed. Monasteries continue to be raided, monks arrested.
By Kaladanpress.org
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Bush Applies More Sanctions on Junta Leaders, Croniesby Lalit K. Jha / New York October 20, 2007
US President George Bush on Friday announced additional strong sanctions against the leaders of the Burmese junta and their business cronies while warning that more sanctions would be applied if the military regime fails to make progress in moving toward democracy.
President George W. Bush [Photo: Reuters]In an executive order, Bush named 12 business cronies, including the Burmese business tycoon Tay Za, the owner of Air Bagan and other companies. The Treasury Department also designated 11 more leaders of the military junta to be placed under sanctions. The Commerce Department was also ordered to tighten its export control regulations for Burma.
Bush said Burmese authorities must match their promise of reconciliation with actions: “A good way to start would be to provide the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations access to political prisoners; to allow Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained leaders to communicate with one another; and to permit U.N. Special Envoy Gambari to enter their country immediately.”
Reconciliation requires that Burmese authorities release all political prisoners and begin negotiations with the democratic opposition under the auspices of the United Nations, Bush said.
The executive order issued named five businessmen to be included in the sanctions: the Burmese businessman Tay Za (managing director of Htoo Trading Company Limited; chairman of Air Bagan; and managing director of Pavo Trading); Htay Myint (chairman of Yuzana Company);Khin Shwe (president of Zay Gabar Company); and Pye Phyo Tay Za and Thidar Zaw; The companies included in the executive order are Htoo Trading Company, Pavo Trading, Air Bagan, Singapore and Air Bagan Limited, Burma; Htoo Wood Products; Yuzana Company Limited and Zaykabar Company.
The 11 individuals added to the sanction list by the Treasury Department are primarily members of the Burmese cabinet and the mayor of Rangoon.
These individuals include Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, the minister of commerce; Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, the minister of telecommunications, post and telegraph; Maj-Gen Saw Tun, the minister of construction; Dr. Chan Nyein, the minister of education; Col Zaw Min, the minister of electric power 1; Maj-Gen Hla Tun, the minister of finance and revenue; Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, the minister of industry 2; Soe Tha, the minister of national planning and economic development; U Thaung, the minister of science and technology and minister of labor; Dr. Kyaw Myint, the minister of health; and Brig-Gen Aung Thein Lin, the chairman of the Rangoon City Development Committee and the mayor of Rangoon.
“We will continue to designate and expose those responsible,” said Adam Szubin, director of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control. Any assets of these individuals within US jurisdiction would be frozen, and US citizens are prohibited from transacting business with them.
Last month the US tightened existing economic sanctions on the leaders of Burma's regime and imposed an expanded visa ban on those responsible for violations of human rights, as well as their family members. The Treasury Department designated 14 top leaders of the Burmese regime for sanctions, including Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his deputy Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye. The State Department also added the names of 260 Burmese officials and their family members to the visa ban list.
Sanctions against Burma were first imposed in 1997 and augmented in 2003, when Bush signed the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act to freeze assets of senior Burmese officials.
“We will continue to review our policies and consider additional measures if Burma’s leaders do not end the brutal repression of their own people whose only offense are the desire to live in freedom. Business as usual is unacceptable,” Bush said.
In his remarks, he praised the European Union, Australia and Japan for applying sanctions on the Burmese regime.
“I commend nations such as Japan that have curtailed their assistance to Burma in response to the atrocities," he said. "I appreciate nations such as Singapore and the Philippines and Indonesia, who have spoken out against the atrocities.”
He also urged India and China to do more. “I ask other countries to review their own laws and policies, especially Burma's closest neighbors—China, India, and others in the region.”
Praising the people of Burma, Bush said: “They are appealing for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries. They do have many friends around the world—including Laura (Bush). I am proud of Laura for all she has done to awaken the conscience of the world to the plight of the Burmese people. I believe no nation can forever suppress its own people. And we are confident that the day is coming when freedom's tide will reach the shores of Burma.”
The world has been inspired by the courage of the Burmese people, Bush said: “Ordinary men and women have taken to the streets in peaceful marches to demand their freedom and call for democratic change.”
“Monks have been beaten and killed. Thousands of pro-democracy protestors have been arrested. And Burma's dictator, Than Shwe, continues to hold captive the leader of Burma's largest democratic party—Aung San Suu Kyi.”
Earlier, a White House spokesperson said the administration believes that tightening sancitons on the junta's leaders and their cronies—including those who help them through funding their activities or helping with their bank transactions or buying their luxury goods to pass on to them—will send a message to all those who work for the junta.
“We had a condition that they would designate somebody who would liaison with Aung San Suu Kyi and others in order to get to a peaceful transition to democracy," said the spokesperson. "They did designate somebody, but that person has not done anything to hold any of these talks.”
The sanctions were welcomed by Rep Tom Lantos, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
On Thursday, Lantos introduced the Block Burmese JADE Act in the House of Representative, which, if passed, would prevent the laundering of gemstones through third countries to be sold to the US.
The bill would ban the importation of Burmese gems into the US, prevent Burma from using US financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of the leaders or their immediate family members and prohibit Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from obtaining visas to the United States.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said the UN would not issue any more statements on Burma until Ibrahim Gambari, the UN envoy, submits a report based on his consultations.
Gambari is currently on a trip to the region visiting countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, China and Japan before returning to New York to report to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Irrawaddy.orghttp://www.irrawaddy.org/
US President George Bush on Friday announced additional strong sanctions against the leaders of the Burmese junta and their business cronies while warning that more sanctions would be applied if the military regime fails to make progress in moving toward democracy.
President George W. Bush [Photo: Reuters]In an executive order, Bush named 12 business cronies, including the Burmese business tycoon Tay Za, the owner of Air Bagan and other companies. The Treasury Department also designated 11 more leaders of the military junta to be placed under sanctions. The Commerce Department was also ordered to tighten its export control regulations for Burma.
Bush said Burmese authorities must match their promise of reconciliation with actions: “A good way to start would be to provide the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations access to political prisoners; to allow Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained leaders to communicate with one another; and to permit U.N. Special Envoy Gambari to enter their country immediately.”
Reconciliation requires that Burmese authorities release all political prisoners and begin negotiations with the democratic opposition under the auspices of the United Nations, Bush said.
The executive order issued named five businessmen to be included in the sanctions: the Burmese businessman Tay Za (managing director of Htoo Trading Company Limited; chairman of Air Bagan; and managing director of Pavo Trading); Htay Myint (chairman of Yuzana Company);Khin Shwe (president of Zay Gabar Company); and Pye Phyo Tay Za and Thidar Zaw; The companies included in the executive order are Htoo Trading Company, Pavo Trading, Air Bagan, Singapore and Air Bagan Limited, Burma; Htoo Wood Products; Yuzana Company Limited and Zaykabar Company.
The 11 individuals added to the sanction list by the Treasury Department are primarily members of the Burmese cabinet and the mayor of Rangoon.
These individuals include Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, the minister of commerce; Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, the minister of telecommunications, post and telegraph; Maj-Gen Saw Tun, the minister of construction; Dr. Chan Nyein, the minister of education; Col Zaw Min, the minister of electric power 1; Maj-Gen Hla Tun, the minister of finance and revenue; Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, the minister of industry 2; Soe Tha, the minister of national planning and economic development; U Thaung, the minister of science and technology and minister of labor; Dr. Kyaw Myint, the minister of health; and Brig-Gen Aung Thein Lin, the chairman of the Rangoon City Development Committee and the mayor of Rangoon.
“We will continue to designate and expose those responsible,” said Adam Szubin, director of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control. Any assets of these individuals within US jurisdiction would be frozen, and US citizens are prohibited from transacting business with them.
Last month the US tightened existing economic sanctions on the leaders of Burma's regime and imposed an expanded visa ban on those responsible for violations of human rights, as well as their family members. The Treasury Department designated 14 top leaders of the Burmese regime for sanctions, including Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his deputy Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye. The State Department also added the names of 260 Burmese officials and their family members to the visa ban list.
Sanctions against Burma were first imposed in 1997 and augmented in 2003, when Bush signed the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act to freeze assets of senior Burmese officials.
“We will continue to review our policies and consider additional measures if Burma’s leaders do not end the brutal repression of their own people whose only offense are the desire to live in freedom. Business as usual is unacceptable,” Bush said.
In his remarks, he praised the European Union, Australia and Japan for applying sanctions on the Burmese regime.
“I commend nations such as Japan that have curtailed their assistance to Burma in response to the atrocities," he said. "I appreciate nations such as Singapore and the Philippines and Indonesia, who have spoken out against the atrocities.”
He also urged India and China to do more. “I ask other countries to review their own laws and policies, especially Burma's closest neighbors—China, India, and others in the region.”
Praising the people of Burma, Bush said: “They are appealing for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries. They do have many friends around the world—including Laura (Bush). I am proud of Laura for all she has done to awaken the conscience of the world to the plight of the Burmese people. I believe no nation can forever suppress its own people. And we are confident that the day is coming when freedom's tide will reach the shores of Burma.”
The world has been inspired by the courage of the Burmese people, Bush said: “Ordinary men and women have taken to the streets in peaceful marches to demand their freedom and call for democratic change.”
“Monks have been beaten and killed. Thousands of pro-democracy protestors have been arrested. And Burma's dictator, Than Shwe, continues to hold captive the leader of Burma's largest democratic party—Aung San Suu Kyi.”
Earlier, a White House spokesperson said the administration believes that tightening sancitons on the junta's leaders and their cronies—including those who help them through funding their activities or helping with their bank transactions or buying their luxury goods to pass on to them—will send a message to all those who work for the junta.
“We had a condition that they would designate somebody who would liaison with Aung San Suu Kyi and others in order to get to a peaceful transition to democracy," said the spokesperson. "They did designate somebody, but that person has not done anything to hold any of these talks.”
The sanctions were welcomed by Rep Tom Lantos, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
On Thursday, Lantos introduced the Block Burmese JADE Act in the House of Representative, which, if passed, would prevent the laundering of gemstones through third countries to be sold to the US.
The bill would ban the importation of Burmese gems into the US, prevent Burma from using US financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of the leaders or their immediate family members and prohibit Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from obtaining visas to the United States.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said the UN would not issue any more statements on Burma until Ibrahim Gambari, the UN envoy, submits a report based on his consultations.
Gambari is currently on a trip to the region visiting countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, China and Japan before returning to New York to report to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Irrawaddy.orghttp://www.irrawaddy.org/
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